


Frankness and the Hereafter

by Anita



Category: Takarazuka Revue RPF
Genre: F/F, Humor, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Romance, Romantic Comedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-23
Updated: 2014-02-02
Packaged: 2018-01-09 18:36:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1149428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anita/pseuds/Anita
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a few drinks at an important party, Masaki stands up and confesses her love to Tomu in front of everyone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Story written for the Takarazuka Week, a writing challenge promoted by the community Saint Seiya Super Fics Journal.

##  **Chapter 1**

 

It was what could be considered the last half of the party. More precise would be to call its third quarter. Everyone had already toasted, drunk and fought for the food – as well as for the insufficient number of seats to eat everything that had been served.

 As Masaki went onto the small platform holding a small glass in her hands, she could observe some were looking around for any trace of the small snacks that could still hidden somewhere. Well, at least a part of her mind might have processed that, she wasn’t really paying attention, being as dead set on her goal as she was. And so she looked proudly at everyone.

 It was the party given by the Moon Troupe in order to celebrate the successful ending of _The Rose of Versailles_ performances, and there was no way she wouldn’t feel proud of the deed. It had sold out in Takarazuka Grand Theater, which is very rare, and she had managed to play two roles, the two main roles at that. Not only that, but she would have a different co-lead almost each time.

 Well, those were the reasons she had given each time she was asked about how hard that work had been. The truth was, however, that most of her stress had taken place right before the opening day, when she had had to rehearse with one of the actresses who would play Andre in Takarazuka. Each day had been a challenge to her nature in order to keep things going smoothly. Being the Top Star was surely a lot of responsibility but it had been during those days that she had noticed just how much that really meant.

 Clearing her throat, Masaki breathed in the happiness, the sense of accomplishment that surrounded her peers and superiors. Marvelous. It was finally done! She did it!

 “Hello, everyone!” she started speaking on the microphone used to open the party and to make the toast. “I hope you are all having a great time. I would like to say just a few more words.” After a pause to hold in the urge to laugh, Masaki cleared her throat once more. “Words can’t properly express how much joy I feel at this moment. Thanks to your warm cheering, all of this was made possible. I will never forget these feelings for as long as I live. I hope that together we can all head to the centenary. Thank you everyone. To Ueda Shinji-sensei and to Suzuki Kei-sensei. To Ikeda Riyoko-sensei. To my dear Manaki-chan, who is always supporting me. To Asumi-chan, who has now become part of the Flower Troupe. To all of the Andres, who have loved me with their all, Ranju-san, Sou-san.”

 

\---

 

 That was what Masaki was sure she had spoken on that platform, in the presence of all of the sponsors, the people in charge of the theater, as well as to the women in her troupe and the mentioned Top Stars, Ranju Tomu and Sou Kazuho.

 While waking up after what seemed to have been a train wreck, she noticed that it was true she had said all that indeed. With the exception that her memory of the night before had suffered the omission of a single detail. For Masaki remembered now that, upon finishing her unsolicited speech that time, she had cheerfully added: “Mayu-san, I love you”, while randomly throwing her not-yet-empty glass to the air. She had also started singing the musical’s main theme: _Ai Areba Koso_.

 “Oh, no...” she wailed, while brushing her panging head with her hand. The look on Mayu’s face surfaced to her mind. Not that she really remembered what had been her senior’s response but she could imagine enough to fill that gap. “Oh, no...” she repeated in a more dramatic tone.

 

\---

 

 After a little more than one hour, Masaki left the office room in the theater with her shoulders drooping. She tried to fix the hair falling to her eyes for a moment, before noticing two of her friends waiting right around the corner of the hall. It all still felt a little bit surreal, but facing Magee and Mirio had finally given the reality shock she didn’t really need.

 “What did they say? About the speech?” Magee was the first one to ask, advancing to her as if she were in a race with Mirio.

 “Um...” Masaki tried to think for a moment what had just happened during the meeting about her acts the previous day. She had been suspended, right? Ready to say so, the remembrance that it was supposed to be kept in secret from everyone “in order to protect yourself”, the man had said, made her swallow the words. Instead, she retold what they had come up with: “I am just feeling a little bit ill. So, I’ll have to rest for a while.”

 “Ill?” Mirio’s mouth was agape. “That means you’re taking medicine, right? How could you drink so much last night, then?”

 Her earnest concern made Masaki recoil, considering just telling them the truth. However, Mirio’s nostrils flared right open as she went on:

 “Poor Mayu-san! Do you even remember what you said last night, Masaki-san? Well, she seems to be a good person. I think that you could try and explain to her. About your medicine and how you ended up drinking alcohol.”

 In response, Masaki just smiled weakly and wondered whether Magee’s silence meant her senior had understood what had actually happened inside that room. Not that it was something unforeseeable. After more than a decade in the company, a lot worse had happened around her. Maybe she was even lucky.

 “Wait, then you’re out of _MeMy_?” Mirio seemed to have finally noticed it, and then, she turned to Magee to check her conclusion.

 “Just rest well, Masaki,” was all the senior could say in response, while giving her an ambiguous smile.

 Masaki gulped in return.

 

\---

 

 Mirio had reminded her of a valid point: Mayu did not deserve what had happened. What she herself had caused the senior, better phrasing. However, there was no way to apologize at that point, for, as far as she could remember, Mayu herself had said she would leave for Tokyo that morning. And it was already almost lunch time.

 In spite of not being the kind of thing that could wait, Masaki had been forbidden from going anywhere else but home. She was expected to be everyday at the theater from morning to afternoon, and then to go straight home. She would never apologize through a mobile phone either, so there was really nothing left.

 Masaki looked around the room where she was told to stay during the working hours, and noticed the fan letters she had received on the last days of The Rose of Versailles. At least, she could think of a reply to them.

 Sometime along the following days, an announcement was made about her absence in the _Me & My Girl_ performance “due to injury”. Heh. They had changed the story by themselves after Masaki had already told some people the original lie. Perhaps, that was so details would not be asked when people started worrying about her long medical leave.

 Could Mirio already discern it had all been but a lie? Magee had probably guessed it from the beginning, judging from her lack of reaction. What about Manaki? They hadn’t met ever since, so it was hard to figure what her official pair in the company thought about all of it. Masaki couldn’t even remember if the girl was in the party room during her speech. What a let-down she must have been as someone Manaki and all of the underclassmen in her troupe were to supposed look up to.

 But her prime worry was still over what Mayu would be thinking of all that. Dang, Masaki. That was supposed the party to celebrate you being free from the weight that sharing a stage with that Ranju Tomu had put upon you. Instead, you go and confess your feelings to her?

 Indeed, Masaki had always been an honest person. It was not really because she had been raised well, or anything. It was that it came natural to her just speaking what was on her mind. Of course, she tried to control herself whenever that was not allowed, like on the infinite times she was speaking in public.

 From time to time, her true self would resurface. She had almost let her feelings out once, while describing how it had been to receive that rose from Mayu on the first day of rehearsals. Yes, the day she became aware there was something special to that woman from the way her heart had flinched in her chest. That had also been the first time she started considering _shoujo manga_ could actually be for real, and that someone could simply go _kya_ in real life. Because that was what Masaki had done at the moment.

 Nevertheless, the dreamy scenarios they wrote about did not feel good at all in real life. It had been a torture to deal with her developing feelings every day she had to meet with Mayu. After the special performance days were over, she was still expected to comment on those as if it had been a good thing. Mayu was an older woman, so tender and so self-confident at the same time. Probably, someone who had never really taken notice of Masaki until that day. Masaki could even imagine Mayu looking at her and thinking “they don’t make _siennes_ like in the old days”, having been in the Takarazuka that had great names and even in the same troupe as Maya Miki.

 Well, even if she were the bigger person and hadn’t had any bad feelings towards Masaki, now she probably did in the worst way. Really, what was up with confessing love in front of all of the important people Takarazuka Grand Revue could gather inside one room? She could as well do it on national television the next time. Thinking back of that party, Masaki started laughing loudly. She had actually put an end to her _shoujo manga_ romance with great style.

 She really did need to apologize to Mayu immediately. While looking for the name in her contacts, however, she noticed she had to give up. At that time, Mayu had probably already heard about the said injury, which Masaki was not supposed to deny to anyone. And she couldn’t lie to that woman anymore. Not now her feelings were finally in the open and she could breathe again.

 

\---

 

Spinning around herself and dancing from side to side of the small room she had been given, Masaki continued to rehearse herself for the musical anyway. This was supposed to be a really romantic scene in which she was to fall exhausted from dancing into the arms of the main lead and was then held very close. The male lead’s hand would be wide open, warm against her naked back. By the time she felt that strength pulling her, she was supposed to open her eyes.

 And there was Mayu, flashing a smile in that kind and yet intense way only she could do.

 ‘Oh...’ Masaki thought, while trying to follow the script she had in her head.

 A few lines later, they were supposed to kiss. How was a _musumeyaku_ kiss? It was surely different from the ones she had trained so far, and she didn’t want to disappoint Mayu again. How long had passed since her last kiss as a girl? It had probably been back in high school, approximately fifteen years before.

 Still hesitant but accepting the challenge to show her partner her worth, she tried to tilt her head one way. However, it felt wrong; so she did it to the other side. The other woman chuckled lightly.

 “This is just like dancing, Masao-kun,” she said, then winked. “Try not to force yourself and trust my lead.”

 ‘Oh, this is the _sekimen oujisama_ her fans talk about!’ That had been Masaki’s last thought before her mind went blank.

 While pulling her even closer, enough to feel the softness covered by her clothes, Mayu started lowering her head a little bit. It must not have been much, for she was not taller when wearing normal shoes. Then again, the lowering part might as well have just been an impression.

 When Masaki recovered her senses, their lips had already met, and Mayu’s tongue was now gently brushing through her teeth. It probably didn’t take much until their mouths were joined together as their bodies moved in some unknown song’s rhythm. With close to no resistance, Masaki let the familiar feeling against her lips caress her at the same time she tried to caress Mayu back, even if it was impossible to respond with the same amount of passion.

  Her mind felt muddled.

 The issue wasn’t really about what was happening, as this was obviously a dream.

 Frowning, she woke up on the desk where she had started to read out loud Me & My Girl’s script. How much more detailed could that kiss have become?

 Of course, she had kissed girls before but only by accident. Now and then, things would just happen during rehearsal, and her lips would brush her partner’s. The actresses were not to speak openly about that kind of physical contact but it was a sure thing to happen to almost any _otokoyaku_. It was no big deal; it had never been so for Masaki, at least. Maybe the _musumeyaku_ didn’t really enjoy it and most of the _otokoyaku_ felt a tad ashamed to reveal their bloopers. For her, however, it was just natural that it happened, especially during more passionate scenes. They were professionals; there was nothing to think too deeply about.

 Then again, she had made sure it would not happen during the days spent with Mayu. For this same reason, there was no way she knew so well how those lips would feel. And never how the tongue would move inside her mouth.

 Had she just imagined it?

 She heard a laughter echo but it took her long to realize it had been her own. After so many days going back and forth from the theater, reading a script she would not be able to use in public, Masaki was guffawing. That dream had brought into her an amazing feeling only Mayu was capable of.

 Probably, because her heart felt light, an idea of how she could practice better came to her. Perhaps, she was just going crazy from spending those beautiful spring days indoors. Whatever the cause was, it still didn’t matter whether she wouldn’t be allowed to perform to everyone. As a member of the Troupe, no, as the top, she couldn’t just be napping all day inside a room while all of the others worked hard to fulfill the gap her suspension had caused.

 Secretly, she hoped Mayu could forgive her actions a little if she knew of that new determination.

 

_To be continued…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I hope you have enjoyed this first chapter! This wasn’t my first Takarazuka fanfic or anything; however, I consider it to be the beginning of everything, when I really got into the fandom. And, finally, with my real favorites too. I won’t even start to explain just how much I love these two, even though a fanfic is also some proclamation of love. 
> 
> Well, the story is not very good. I just let my imagination run free and it result more in fan service for myself than at least for the readers. I’m sorry for that! But I assure you that I was full of love while making this, lol. 
> 
> I want to use this opportunity to that Goodoldbadmood for not only her support for me to start writing about this OTP of mine but also for giving me the theme that originated it all. And a great theme! I laughed so much upon reading it that it became irresistible, I just had to write that story! Lastly, many thanks for being my reader too. Even though this is not your pairing at all, you read through this whole mess. Having someone there really makes you feel the responsibility of each word, of doing it, and doing it right. Thank you!
> 
> I hope you can comment on this story anyway. Any words are welcome, suggestions or even a mere “read it”. This is a pretty small fandom so if I don’t get that from you, I don’t think I’ll get it from anyone else. So, please, please, please. Comment!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Inside the meeting room, Mayu bowed deeply to the three people surrounding her once more. There was nothing else to do other than appealing again to that board of important people in the hierarchy of the Takarazuka Grand Revue command. With her eyes tightly closed, she held her body straight for as long as silence continued in the room.

Among the high-ranking people present at that meeting she herself had requested were: one of the most affluent men in the direction board, one senior female teacher and one other man, of whose identity Mayu wasn’t really sure. Despite looking much younger than the former two - who knew, he could as well be really close to her age -, the latter showed an attitude that inspired respect.

The elder cleared his throat but she didn’t change her position.

“Such an act can’t be taken lightly, Ranju-kun,” he finally spoke, in a tone demanding she straightened herself up this time. After waiting until Mayu had complied, he continued: “Ryuu-kun was very reckless in what she did, that could have easily been taken out of context. And this age... it was very fortunate that there is no video going around of what could have been interpreted as a _confession of love_ ” his tone left little doubt of what he thought if it were the case.

“And we have to take into account how many must have heard only, er, the _juicy_ details of that party,” complemented the younger man. “Nonetheless, there is nothing for you to worry, Ranju-kun. We took care of the outsiders present and explained everything. Also, the intervention of the _kumichou_ right after that unfortunate speech was very welcome, correcting everyone’s impression.”

“Forgive me for saying this,” Mayu rushed to object “but, if even you admit it was just something that could have been misinterpreted, Ryuu-san can’t be blamed. She just overdid herself a little.”

“Our decision to suspend her activities is definite, as I have already just said.” The older one got up from his chair looks sternly. “Such haste cannot be tolerated, especially not from one who is to represent one-fifth of our revue. Now I have another meeting to attend. And I hope you understand that, for your junior’s well-being, she is suffering from an injury right now. It would be a great damage if a punishment were to be made public at this stage of her career.”

“I will be discreet,” reassuring so, Mayu abjectly lowered her head and waited until the three left.

The last to leave was the female teacher, who prompted her with a sympathetic smile.

“She is in the building right now, dear,” the woman said, handing her a small piece of post-it yellow paper. “Even if there was nothing you could do here, I’m sure it will mean a lot if you went to see her.”

Quietly, Mayu bowed once more to the senior teacher before she left.

After taking a moment to catch her breath, she hurried to the room written on that paper. Certifying that no one was looking - the last thing Masaki would want was probably to be seen with her - she scrolled the room.

Since hearing about that girl’s alleged injury, Mayu had been wondering how she was feeling. Surely, they hadn’t known each other for long, and the other had always kept a certain distance, though that could be due to her own personality. Masaki had always appeared to her as a composed person, focused on improving and moving forward, while very conscientious of her surroundings. Despite being friendly, she would still keep it to herself most of the time. Being suspended, despite surreptitiously, must have been a great shock to someone who didn’t seem to easily depend on others. Well, Mayu herself could be described like that as well, so she was most likely imagining how she would take that blow.

In any case, it _had_ been an overreaction from the direction. It was a party, they all had consumed alcohol. How many hadn’t made a fool of themselves before? A mere reprimand would have been understandable but cutting a girl out of an already announced play? They asked to be discreet but it made her wonder whether, in part, it wasn’t an answer to the sponsors present, for they would be smart enough to simply do the math. Her own troupe had already guessed it already probably. That the injury was nothing but make-believe to the fans and the general public.

It was because she had been lost in her thoughts that what Mayu saw behind the door felt so surreal.

There Masaki stood in a very unnatural pose, holding out a mobile phone and humming something. Then she opened a wide smile and turned her head.

As soon as her eyes reacted to Mayu’s presence, Masaki ran to the door and closed it with a loud thud that made it scroll half way back open as Mayu blinked several times, unsure if she were shocked either about all that violence or about the weird jolly pose with which her eyes had just been presented.

\---

Upon realizing what she had just done, Masaki opened the door again. But that person standing there could just be a mirage, right? How would Mayu be right in front of her, instead of kilometers away in Tokyo? She had even watched the official announcement interview for her next musical, Mirio’s debut in her troupe. It couldn’t be that Mayu, the same one whose name she had put in all of her own mess. Not after that spectacle at the party. Not after what Masaki had done.

Done...?

“Oh, no...” She covered her mouth with both hands as another lost memory from that night started coming back.

When doing that, her cell phone fell to the floor and, even though she threw her body down immediately, it had been too late to save it. Masaki continued gazing at the cracked screen that still played the footage inconspicuously recorded earlier of her troupe’s rehearsal for she herself to know how to practice.

“Are you okay, Masaki-chan?” Mayu asked worriedly.

Her mellow tone of voice made Masaki’s chest tighten, as the fate of her phone simply vanished from her mind. The effect that woman seemed to have on her since that first day of rehearsals… It made her smile unwillingly.

“Masaki-chan?” after repeating so, Mayu stretched her hand in Masaki’s direction. “Can you get up?” She herself squatted then to pick up the cracked device on the floor.

As both got up at the same time, it was impossible not to look straight at that woman’s lips. They were so close... And her memories were too fresh; as if it had just happened.

The continuation of the night of the party...

\---

Masaki’s first memory after throwing her glass was that of being led out of the small podium by Magee. At the same time, the _kumichou_ ’s voice filled the awkward silence with a polite joke connecting the public love confession to Oscar’s feelings towards all of the Andres, after which the older woman went back to the reason they were all gathered there, and probably finished the speech.

Masaki couldn’t hear the rest, however, probably because she was already out of the salon hearing out her immediate veteran’s lecture. At the same time, she was crying out of joy. Her chest felt so light after so long. She hated keeping things to herself. She really wanted to apologize to Mayu, make her understand why she had had to be treated with so much distance. And now, it would all make sense to the older woman. It was all solved!

Masaki continued laughing, now of Magee’s angry face. When had she last seen her that angry? It was scary. And funny. Incredibly funny. But it could also be because she was happy. The whole world had another appearance once you were wearing the happy lenses.

Wait, was she saying all of that out loud?

“Yes, you are.” Magee rolled her eyes, crossing arms. “Really, can’t you be the sleepy kind of drunk?”

About to laugh even harder at those hilarious words, Masaki threw her head backward so to face the ceiling and enjoy even more the feeling of being free.

“Is she alright?”

Masaki turned to the source of that new voice to find her very own object of affection.

“ _Mayu-san_!” she yelped. Then she moved toward the older woman, while wishing she had a tail to shake and demonstrate how happy Mayu’s sole presence could make her. “You understand _everything_ now, don’t you? Just how much you make my heart race?”

“She isn’t really. Alright, I mean.” Magee came between the two and held Masaki by the arm as if predicting her next move. “I’m going to take her to the bathroom and then I’ll call a cab. I hope things are not too problematic back in there for you, Mayu-san.”

“We should worry about her first, I think I have never seen Masaki-chan act like that.”

“Not really her first time.”

“Let me take her to the restroom, then.” Mayu’s hands held her shoulders gently and started leading her way. “I’ll help her wash her face and all, while you call the cab.”

“Um...” Magee hesitated, and Masaki could witness relief take over her face as she made the decision to just comply. “I won’t take long, please take care of her.”

“Don’t worry, Magee. She’s also my junior.” Mayu flashed the most beautiful and reassuring smile before taking Masaki away.

Inside the bathroom, the girl was told to wash her hands, which she hadn’t even noticed to be sticky with the alcohol spilled from when she had thrown the glass away. As she finished throwing some water on her face, her laughter spasm resumed.

“Mayu-san, I was remembering something I got Sou-san to tell me about you.” Upon noticing the puzzled look on the other, Masaki continued: “You can be quite gullible sometimes.”

“Oh. I guess Eritan would be the first to know that,” she said while nodding slightly.

“I’m saying this because I feel bad for getting you to be here with me.”

“Don’t worry about it. I was the one who wanted to make sure you were fine. At least, you seem to be for the time being. When you get home, make sure to keep yourself warm and sleep well.”

“Mayu-san...” Masaki got really close to the other woman, so close Mayu had to step back herself. “You shouldn’t be alone with someone who just said all I have.”

“We will talk later, when you’re feeling better.”

“I’m not as drunk.” Masaki took another step and they were back to being only few inches away. “You are so beautiful and charming... And now, you’re blushing, it means you believe me at least.” She laughed, brushing Mayu’s hair, taking a strand of her hair away from her face. “I love your eyes. They are so deep...”

“Masaki-chan? I think we should head back to...”

But their mouths were already together as Masaki forced her way until she could feel Mayu’s tongue. How many times had she pictured a moment like this, when she wouldn’t be able to hold herself anymore? Wasn’t it precisely this what she had spent so much energy to avoid during the rehearsals?

How could she?

\---

Masaki couldn’t remember anything else, except that she had woken up on her bed the next morning.

But those lips were almost as close again as they had been that night. It was impossible not to think back to that stolen kiss.

As fast as her senses came back to her, Masaki threw herself to the ground once more to prostrate herself, while touching her head to the floor, performing the deepest _dogeza_ she had ever done. Even so, it felt that nothing could ever undo that night. How could her drunk self be as selfish as to not only humiliate the woman in front of everyone but also to be so violent when Mayu had gone there only to help her?

One more time, Mayu squatted in front of her and said very softly:

“You don’t need to apologize; I was the one who scared you coming in without even knocking.”

Lifting her face, Masaki shook her head repeatedly.

“I remembered. About that night. What I did. I’m so sorry! That... I...”

But the other woman’s smile never faded.

“Then, I should also apologize. I tried to tell them that that hasn't affected me or anything, that there wasn’t a reason to suspend you.”

“I’m j-just, er...hur…” Masaki couldn’t bring herself to lie, so she just shut her lips, pressing one tightly against the other.

“I knew it from the moment I read the announcement. Don’t worry.” She smiled.

 _The_ smile that made Masaki’s heart about to explode. In spite of the entire situation, she couldn’t help but foolishly smile back.

“Here. I’m sorry about your cell phone.” Mayu handed her the device back with a frown. “I really should have announced myself at least.”

Masaki got the phone back, trying not to think about how close their hands were while doing so. In order to distract her mind, she pressed one of the buttons and felt relieved when the lock screen showed a photo she had taken of an _Ocean’s 11_ poster. Of course, she hid it from the other as soon as she could.

“It is working, don’t worry,” Masaki said to fill the gap. Then, she showed the other a smile, an honest one.

Mayu was right there, being extremely kind to her like always. Just as though that night had never existed, except that now Masaki knew everything. That now she could just be herself without having to lie. Her punishment had been a very small price compared to the lightness in her heart that moment.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**  
   
  It wasn’t that Mayu didn’t enjoy being in the company of others but, in the end, she usually preferred doing things on her own, like shopping or going out for a drive. Having an e-mail friend was something very rare for her, that only happened during her moves from troupe with this or that person, and they had always ended up losing contact. The days in Takarazuka were too intense to simply answer emails on her cell phone right after receiving them, or to remember to answer them later. So, even when she did engage in written conversation with people, it wasn’t weird that one took days to reply the other, if they ever did.  
   
  Nonetheless, she had been exchanging emails with Ryuu Masaki for almost two weeks. The same girl who was at least five years younger, from a different troupe and with a really different way of seeing things. The same girl who had drunkenly given her a love confession in front of their employees, only to later kiss Mayu by surprise. Of course, she had still been drunk then, and had profusely apologized ever since.  
   
  What Mayu couldn’t understand was her own self. It was normal for you to go and intervene in favor of a junior who got in trouble, especially when your name had been part of the mess. She could even say it had been partially due to seeing how concerned had looked the new member of her troupe, Asumi Rio, one of the days they met after the party. But this had just been her being herself. That urge to reply the emails as soon as she got them was what actually had been worrying her.  
   
  Was she just feeling self-conscious? It was still about that weird confession, which Masaki hadn’t even confirmed, right? Well, it couldn’t be helped that Mayu needed to know whether girl was still fine. Even though Masaki looked so eager to rehearse for a musical she wouldn't be able to present, a breakdown could follow any time soon. The younger girl could actually be sincere about wishing to go on, while accepting the penalty but there are still certain losses you only notice as time goes by.  
   
  Mayu had felt it in her skin. She’d been so overjoyed for becoming top, only to be on the verge of depression after noticing she had lost all that had at last been conquered inside the Cosmos Troupe. It had taken her approximately a year to really gain everyone’s trust and for her to find her place again in the Flower Troupe. It could take really long to realize how bad things are, and she wanted to be there for Masaki if that ever happened.  
   
  But how could it be known simply by emails? Such uncertainty had been bothering her. Maybe she could use her next break to visit her, Mayu thought with a grin but soon dismissed it. It would be awkward to stand face to face, just like the last time. Masaki hadn’t shown any sign of feeling that way, and instead, the girl had kept describing excitedly her tactics for learning the musical’s steps and instructions. All the while, Mayu had just stood there, staring, fearing the time the topic would end and she herself would have to come up with something new. It hadn’t happened then, but going to Kansai just for that was still exaggerated.  
   
  However, a new message notice from her phone made her change her mind all over again.  
   
\---  
   
  After trying to sing once more, Masaki sighed in despair. Even though it sounded so normal to her during the time she was singing, every time the recording of her own voice came from the cell phone, she would cringe. Something was wrong and she couldn’t figure out what. Maybe she should try something different from the teacher’s instructions to Rurika, who had taken her role as Bill.  
   
  She was messing with her hair, trying to find a solution, when she heard a knock on the door. During the weeks she had been banished to that room, no one had ever really come there except for some friends from the Moon Troupe during breaks. But they never knocked.  
   
  “Masaki-chan?” The door slid very slowly to reveal Mayu standing there and looking just like a charming prince wearing a white hat and clear colored clothes.  
   
  Trying to breathe again, Masaki turned to the newcomer and bowed deeper than expected to. Upon noticing the blunder, she ended up bowing again.  
   
  “It seems you are fine, I’m glad,” Mayu said, still standing in front of the door.  
   
  “Yes, thank you!” She was probably showing more teeth now than she would to the dentist but she couldn’t help the way her heart fluttered in the presence of such woman.  
   
  “So, let’s go!”  
   
  Masaki let her mouth fall slightly, trying to understand the other’s obvious sign to follow her. She ended up doing so anyway, despite tilting her head.  
   
  “You’ve been stuck in that room for days, right? Let’s go for a ride today.”  
   
  A ride? With Mayu? Wait, with Mayu _driving_? Hot! That would have to be so _hot_! Masaki felt her heart thumping and now she couldn’t compare herself anymore with girls going _kya_ in _shoujo manga_ , she was closer to guys going _moe_.  
   
\---  
   
  Trying not to babble, Masaki kept staring out the car window as the city of Takarazuka started changing in a more rural landscape. The European-like buildings downtown turned into rustic Japanese houses, and the gardens into ponds and fields. Despite that spring feeling chillier than usual, colorful flowers ornamented their way. Not that they looked as interesting as the one blossom sitting on her right side.  
   
  “Don’t worry, we’ll be there in a few minutes,” Mayu said, maybe reacting to her giddiness. “It’s just somewhere nearby that came to me while going from the _shinkansen_ station to the theater. Nothing much.”  
   
  “The road is already worth every second, Mayu-san.” Masaki giggled in an effort to cover how yearningly she was looking at the other woman. Well, she had been honest, but it was surely not understood what she had really referred to.  
   
  She stared at Mayu’s beautiful hands and wished she could hold them. No. Time to put a break on the excitement and just be patient, Masaki repeated to herself until the car was parked.  
   
  “Oh, I’ve been here! It’s Nishitani!” she noticed enthusiastically. “They sell so many delicious vegetables, but I never come here often.”  
   
  Mayu smiled slightly but frowned.  
   
  “I’m sorry for not being a new place for you.”  
   
  “What are you apologizing for?” Masaki chuckled and started to lead the way into the gift shop outside the small building ahead.  
   
\---  
   
  Mayu observed as Masaki started getting drifting away from her once more, and smiled. It was undeniable that the fact she could never keep up with that girl’s pace had a lot to do with her own age, but the main point was more about how Masaki obviously felt in her element. That was the reason Mayu thought it would be a good idea to climb a mountain after all. But she was really just delaying the hike, wasn’t she?  
   
  After buying some souvenirs, she had breathed really deep and was ready to happily give Masaki the news she had brought all the way from Tokyo when she noticed the girl was excitedly talking to a group of old ladies.  
   
  “They invited us to some cooking session, and we get to eat what we prepare!” Masaki said, with her large eyes shining bright. “It seems their number is too large for one only group and too little for two.”  
   
  It was right when Mayu was thinking how cute she was acting like a little girl who had just seen a new ride in a park that it became clear to her. Why hadn’t she told everything in that room in the theater? She had planned this trip to celebrate the good news but decided to hold it in instead. Why?  
   
  Even before they had put on the aprons, the reason lay clear before her eyes. She feared Masaki would just go off on her own and not even stay in the theater room long enough to listen to her invitation. So, now that the girl looked captured, Mayu should just tell her. However, what if Masaki got angry? She _could_ be doing better things other than cooking with a group whose average age was double hers. And how would Mayu answer the inevitable question that would ensue: “why didn’t you say it earlier?”  
   
  That her suspension had been lifted off.  
   
“Mayu-san, do you prefer to rest a little?” Masaki’s question brought her back to the path up the mountain of Nishitani.  
   
  “No, don’t worry. I think I just put on the wrong shoes.”  
   
  “I’m glad you told me not to change before coming; you can’t imagine the heels I was wearing today!” She chuckled. “So, we’re still going up? Like, _‘R’ising!!_?” Again, she laughed. “This was silly even for me, sorry.”  
   
  “No. No!” Then, Mayu started laughing as well. She had been so distracted she hadn’t noticed the pun with her own concert name until Masaki explicated it.  
   
  When she stopped, the other one was again many steps away. Mayu hurried to follow the girl. Was Masaki skipping? Now it was Mayu’s turn to giggle.  
   
‘Oh...’ Mayu thought, halting in the middle of the way. This time, she did it so abruptly, Masaki ended up noticing and coming back.  
   
  “After all, let’s rest!” she said. “We’ve just eaten all that delicious food in that Plaza place.”  
   
  Mayu shook her head a couple of times.  
   
  “It’s not it, Masaki-chan. I’m sorry”.  
   
  “Is something wrong?” The girl got closer, frowning more by the second.  
   
  “Yes. There’s something I came to tell you, and I should have done it since the beginning. I’m sorry.”  
   
  “You apologized again...” Masaki bit her lower lip and continued to stare at her.  
   
  “Don’t make that face. It’s actually good news. It’s that I heard you are free. From the suspension thing.”  
   
  “What?” Masaki stepped back and looked thoughtful for a while. “I’m sorry, Mayu-san, but how would you know?”  
   
  “Eritan did it. Even though I tried to talk the people in charge many times, Eritan was the one who could finally dissuade them.”  
   
  The girl still looked puzzled while listening.  
   
  “Sou-san?”  
   
  “Well, we were all trying.”  
   
  “I had no idea that you and Sou-san were going to such lengths. And for me…”  
   
  “She messaged me last night; it seems the notice of your recovery will be up any time today. I’m sorry, I should have said it earlier and not bring you all the way here for that.”  
   
    Masaki nodded once but her look was so vague she didn’t seem to be agreeing with what she had heard. maybe she was still dueling on how to react.  
   
  “Wow, that’s great. Wow,” the girl finally said, putting a hand through her hair. “You know, that’s really great! Wow, Mayu-san, you came here just to surprise me?”  
   
  Discreetly, Mayu gulped.  
   
  “And I was starting to think they would invite me to retire. You know, quietly go away from their sights. But Sou-san and you were working so hard for my sake all that time. I’m not even sure of how to feel.”  
   
  Mayu tried to show a smile to the girl, but Masaki turned back to the path and continued:  
   
  “Now we _have_ to reach the top! Let’s go, Mayu-san!” And took her wrist, while pulling her for a few meters only to abruptly let it go.  
   
  Puzzled, Mayu stared at the spot on her skin touched by the other.  
   
  “Sorry!” Masaki lowered her head slightly before continuing to hike. “I got totally carried away. I don’t know how you can still be out with such a rude junior like me. I’ve been meaning to ask if I should send you less emails, you know? I probably annoy you a lot replying every day, or every hour sometimes.”  
   
  “You shouldn’t think like that.”  
   
  “Oh, look!” Masaki looked up and pointed ahead. They had finally reached the small wooden construction on the top of the mountain.  
   
 _To be continued…_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**  
   
  “It’s really cold up here,” Mayu said, after using the last of her strengths to follow the other girl to the top of the small construction.  
   
  With a wide smile, Masaki turned to her and made an agreeing “ _un_ ” before turning again to the view.  
   
  There were many angles possible from which to enjoy the landscapes. On one side, stood some small houses and a bigger one, that was probably the nursing home nearby. On yet another, there were hills covered by trees ready for spring as well as a patch of water that looked like some sort of dam. According to the sign, on one of the many sides of the construction, they could even see Rokko, the famous mount from Kobe. The whole scenery stood before them just like a green carpet of mountains, and all of the formations were covered by a white mist that lent a special charm to the view.  
   
  However tacky it might sound, nonetheless, Masaki was still what pulled her eyes the most. The girl had now just finished filming the view and seemed to be taking a landscape photo with her mobile phone at the moment. Mayu’s eyes now focused on her nape, where her short hair - shorter from the time she was playing Oscar - had been cut recently. The ends curled a little to the outside, humid by her sweat.  
   
  “Mayu-san, come here!” her call made Mayu jump back to reality. Masaki waved, motioning for her to get closer. “You don’t mind if we took a picture, right?”  
   
  Trying to focus on what she was doing, Mayu complied and went to her side as Masaki framed both in the cracked screen of her device. After taking a couple of shots, the younger girl pouted for a while, examining the result.  
   
  “Would you like me to take one of you?” Mayu stretched her hand.  
   
  “Nah, please don’t worry! But would you mind us taking one more? These two look weird somehow, don’t you think?”  
   
  She turned the cracked screen to Mayu, who was surprised to notice what the other meant. Even though she couldn’t point out exactly what had gone wrong twice, there was indeed something out of place.  
   
  “I’ll stand more to the back and try to put the camera a bit higher,” Masaki said thoughtful, already doing so.  
   
  The feeling. Mayu finally noticed what had been the problem before. Being so cold up there, she had been trying to suppress the shivers, more intense as time passed as the heat from climbing started cooling down. The feeling of standing so close to Masaki’s warm body had made her do a strange face in the previous shots, and it was probable that the very same had just happened again.  
   
  She stretched her neck to look up Masaki’s shoulders, as the girl quietly examined the new photos.  
   
  “I think they look good now!” she pronounced, turning back suddenly, only to jump back a little from Mayu’s proximity.  
   
  Pretending she hadn’t noticed the scared look on the girl’s complexion, Mayu tried to inspect the screen as naturally as she could. This time, the two didn’t simply look weird. They were standing in the picture just like a couple: Mayu blushed without looking directly at the camera, and Masaki flashed her typical ten-thousand-kilowatt smiling face right behind her.  
   
  Mayu lifted her eyes to meet Masaki’s, who did no effort to hide her eagerness. Even though she preferred that the photo disappeared, it would feel like stealing candy from a child facing how much the girl seemed to have enjoyed the result. Therefore, she forced herself to nod.  
   
\---  
   
  She looked so cute! The prince of the blushes looked extremely cute in the photo, just like a virgin. Mayu had to agree with that photo, Masaki thought, while waiting for the other’s approval. When the woman finally nodded, it took all of Masaki’s inner strength not to do some perverted victory dance in celebration. Instead, she just said:  
   
  “Oh, great! I’m so happy to have another picture of us.”  
   
  Well, maybe she shouldn’t have said it either, Masaki thought upon seeing Mayu’s troubled expression right after.  
   
  “Then again we should try another?” Masaki quickly offered. As long as she didn’t have to delete the golden shot, she could spend her whole life doing poses with her beloved Mayu.  
   
  Masaki went again behind her and started setting the phone camera. However, Mayu turned abruptly to face her, looking into her eyes.  
   
  “Actually, there’s something we need to talk about,” she began to say.  
   
  And Masaki’s mind went blank.  
   
  ‘Oh, no,’ she thought in despair. ‘I’ve been here before and, as good as it was, it was also very very very bad!’  
   
  Just like the first time, her mind came back to the taste Mayu’s lips brushing against hers. They were kissing. Again. This couldn’t be good. No friendship could survive a forbidden kiss twice. Mainly when this wasn’t even due to the intake of alcohol. Thus, when their tongues touched one another, Masaki used all she had to pull away from it.  
   
  “Mayu-san!” Masaki blurted, gasping for air.  
   
  The woman looked back without moving, her eyes wide open and her lips quivering. Has this been the look she had showed after the party that other night? Startled and somehow hopeless. Masaki never wanted to see that expression again; and yet, she had been its perpetrator. Probably, twice.  
   
  “I’m _so_ very sorry, I don’t...” But she was stopped mid-way when Mayu lifted the palm of her hand.  
   
  After taking a deep breath, the woman showed her a dispirited smile. This was only getting worse, Masaki thought.  
   
  “I understand, I think. It _was_ just a drunk speech after all,” Mayu stated to the other’s confusion. Seeming to acknowledge this, the woman continued: “The one from the party, when you kissed me. It was all because of that champagne and the wine, or whatever you were drinking.”  
   
  “It was all...? This kiss?” Masaki tilted her head slightly?  
   
  “Your feelings. I mean, what you really feel for me. I’m sorry. I already knew you were only drunk, and not speaking for real; you even apologized before.”  
   
  “Wait, Mayu-san. I’m not drunk now.” Yet, she laughed at the thought, for how she had behaved all day, making the other follow her pace in shopping, cooking and even hiking even though it was still so cold. “I never said my feelings weren’t real. Why do you think I kissed you?”  
   
  “You were drunk, right?”  
   
  “I mean now.”  
   
  “You didn’t kiss me. Actually, you just jumped as though you had received an electrical shock.”  
   
  Well, a shock would describe just fine the kind of energy that went through Masaki’s body whenever she felt those lips. But, wait.  
  “Say again? I mean, this wasn’t a kiss?”  
   
  With a frown, Mayu explained:  
   
  “It was, but I was the one who kissed you. I just... I didn’t know how to begin this, so I thought it wouldn’t be so bad to just demonstrate it all through a kiss, not being the first and all.”  
   
  “Y-y-you kissed m-me?” Her head was starting to feel light but, as much as it didn’t make any sense, it also started making some. “I didn’t screw this again?”  
   
  The other shook her head to Masaki’s relief.  
   
  “But,” Mayu began saying, “you didn’t want it, right?”  
   
  “Of course, I wanted! Mayu-san kissed me! So Mayu-san wanted to kiss me, right?” She jumped on the woman’s shoulders and only stopped upon noticing she had been shaking the other too hard.  
   
  Now, Mayu was laughing uncontrollably.  
   
  “What? I’m sorry, it’s that...” Masaki mumbled, not knowing what it was exactly.  
   
  “You still haven’t answered me. Whether you’re okay with us. Together.”  
   
  “As one could imagine, Mayu-san was right.”  
   
  “About...?”  
   
  Not wishing to lose any more time, Masaki enveloped Mayu’s body with her arms and pulled her closer before starting a deep kiss.  
   
  They were panting when their lips finally parted. Even though they had been this close before, it was the first time Masaki could let herself get lost into Mayu’s eyes. She enjoyed the time to admire the woman’s deep blush, while fully aware the _sekimen oujisama_ was also using her power to make her own cheeks burn.  
   
  “So, when did you notice?” Masaki asked, her voice huskier than ever.  
   
  “When I had to tell you that Eritan had accomplished to reinstate you... I was secretly wishing she hadn’t, that I had one more opportunity to make it myself.”  
   
  “Wow, that’s selfish. So, do you want to monopolize me or something?”  
   
  Lifting her hand, Mayu gently caressed her face.  
   
  “Very much.” She initiated one more fervent kiss, which made neither of them really want to go back despite how cold both obviously were.  
   
  They didn’t want to think about getting down and having to say goodbye: Mayu needed to take the train back to Tokyo, Masaki had to go back and recover her role in the play. For as long as they could, they would remain there. And then, they would climb down holding each other’s hands to never let go.  
   
THE END!  
   
Anita, 19/04/2013

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I said most of what I wanted in the first chapter so that rests me here is to thank you for reading this whole piece. It’s far from being a common couple but I think they are so cute together, I really like the Tomu and Masao rare moments. I hope I could at least put this into the story. 
> 
> Well, you’ll see me around with more fanfic of this couple. I hope you can also read it!
> 
> Thanks again to Goodoldbadmood for her support. Without her I wouldn’t have got into Takarazuka fanfics and my life would be missing all this love, lol.
> 
> Any comments are welcome, so feel free to do them now! Actually, please do them right now because this author is very eager to find out what you think, he he. 
> 
> See you in my other stories, right? :D


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